Storage

The storage area should be cool, dry, moderately ventilated and there should be as little dust as possible. Outdoor storage without protection should be avoided.

The appropriate storage temperature depends on the elastomer. The most favourable storage temperature for synthetic rubber seals is 15 to 25 °C (60 to 80 °F).

Elastomer products that have been subjected to low temperatures during transport or storage may become stiff. They should therefore be warmed and kept at a temperature of at least 20 °C (70 °F) before being unpacked and used in order to prevent exposure to condensation.

In heated storage rooms, the products should be shielded from the heat source. There should be at least 1 m (3 ft.) between the packages and the source of heat. In rooms where a heater with a fan is used, the distance should be greater. Storage in damp rooms should be avoided because of the risk of condensation. A storage facility with relative humidity below 65% is excellent.

Seals should be protected from light, particularly direct sunlight or artificial light with a high proportion of UV radiation. Any windows in the store should therefore be covered with a red or orange coating (never blue). Ordinary light bulbs are preferred for illumination.

Seals should be wrapped or stored in airtight containers, protecting them from atmospheric changes and particularly against drafts.

Because ozone is particularly damaging, steps must be taken to make sure that no ozone is produced in the storage facility as the result of using electric motors or other equipment that can produce sparks or other electric discharges. Combustion fumes and vapours that can produce ozone as the result of photochemical processes should be exhausted. For this reason, solvents, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, acids, disinfectants etc. should not be stored in the same room as the seals.

Elastomer products should not be subjected to tension, compression or other forms of load during storage as this can produce permanent deformations and cracks. Seals should therefore not be hung on hooks during storage. Certain metals, especially copper and manganese, damage elastomer products. Contact with these metals should therefore be avoided and the seals should be covered with layers of paper or polyethylene to prevent such contact.

In case it is necessary to repack the seals, packaging and covering materials should not contain substances such as copper or alloys containing copper, petroleum, oil etc. that can cause damage to the seals. The packaging materials should not contain softeners.

If the products are powdered, suitable powders are talcum, chalk, finely divided glimmer and rice starch.

Seals made of different materials should not be in contact with each other. This is particularly important when the seals are different in colour as this will avoid discolouration.

Seals should be stored for the shortest period of time possible. Where long-term storage is involved, care should be taken that newly arrived products are kept separate from those already in storage to enable use of seals on a first in, first out basis.